E-Paper
CBI arrests two over Bengal post-poll violence
Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested two people, including a woman, in connection with the post-poll violence in West Bengal, officials of the central agency said
Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested two people, including a woman, in connection with the post-poll violence in West Bengal, officials of the central agency said.
The two persons have been identified as Bijoy Ghosh and Ashima Ghosh, who were arrested from Chapra in Nadia district in connection with the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker, Dharma Mondol, on May 14, CBI officials confirmed.
The Central agency carried out searches in at least 15 locations on Saturday and registered 10 more first information reports in connection with post-poll violence, taking the total number of FIRs to 21.
A CBI team also faced some resistance in Nadia during its search operations with some workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) blocking the vehicle and shouting anti-CBI and anti-BJP slogans, officials of the central agency said.
The Calcutta high court on August 19 ordered a court-monitored CBI probe into the allegations of murder and crime against women – rape and attempt to rape – that were reported after the assembly poll results were announced on May 2.
A CBI team also went to meet the family of Shobha Rani Mondal, mother of a BJP booth president, who was also allegedly killed by TMC workers while trying to defend her son. She died on May 3.
At least four special teams of the central agency, each headed by a joint director, are camping in the state and visiting the affected families to record their statements.
While CBI has been ordered to probe into allegations of murder and crime against women, the court has set up a Special Investigation Team, comprising three senior IPS officers from the state, to probe into the other cases such as loot and arson.
Earlier, a seven-member committee set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the orders of the high court submitted its final report on July 13, slamming the TMC government on post-poll violence while recommending a CBI probe.
The NHRC committee in its report had claimed that at least 1,934 complaints were lodged with the stat police between May 2 and June 20. They included 29 complaints related to murder, 12 rape and sexual assault, and 940 of loot and arson.
The TMC had alleged that the enquiry committee was politically motivated as some of its members had connections with the BJP. The court, however, had rejected such allegations.
“While five BJP workers were killed, 16 TMC workers were killed in violence says the NHRC report. I have no problem with a CBI probe because Bengal government has taken action in each and every case. But why would they visit the villages with BJP leaders and workers. They should work impartially,” chief minister Mamata Banerjee, said on Saturday while virtually addressing the foundation day of the TMC’s youth wing.
However, saying that the probe was ordered by the high court, the BJP, said law was taking its own course and that the party had nothing to do with this.
“The NHRC committee was set up on the orders of the court. The CBI is conducting its probe on the orders of the court. It would be monitored by the court. Where is the BJP coming from in this? We have nothing to do with this,” said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson.
